The 2022 Law on the Implementation of Grassroots Democracy lays a firm foundation for the implementation of socialist democracy, the people’s right to mastery and self-governance role, thus contributing to effectively implementing the motto “People know, people discuss, people do, people monitor”.

Villages and residential groups are the best performers of the right to democracy at grassroots level, revealed a study at a symposium held by the United Nations Development Program in Hanoi on November 2.

The Prime Minister has recently approved the Scheme on organization of public communication about policies with great impacts on the society in the process of formulating legal documents for the 2022-27 period. Vietnam Law & Legal Forum magazine has an interview with Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Thanh Tinh about the Scheme.

The 2021 Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) Report, released on May 10, shows improvements in basic infrastructure as citizens experienced better roads, water supply and sanitation, while many respondents reported less crime as lockdowns and travel restrictions may have helped improve law and order. There were, however, gaps in the national pandemic response with increasing governance challenges, concerning shifts in indicators tied to COVID-19, and a deterioration in household economic confidence.

UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesen has highlighted the importance of the findings from the 2021 PAPI Report for deepening the understanding of the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on democratic governance that can help support the governments in preparing for future economic and health crises.

The ninth National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front wrapped up on September 20 after three days’ sitting. It sought measures to raise the efficiency of VFF’s member organizations in promoting the engagement of members and improving social oversight and criticism activities.

Vietnam’s Constitution and political structure offer opportunities for citizens to participate in governance both directly (through in-person engagement at the local level) and indirectly (through voting for People’s Council and National Assembly delegates). But how can citizens be more actively involved in public decision making?

Realities of the social life in Vietnam have shown that “huong uoc” has sustained through time and proved its potential vitality in the Vietnamese society in the past, at present and in the future.

It can be easily realized through studying the process of formation and development of legal culture in Vietnam through various historical periods that in addition to the State laws, the village codes have always played an important role in regulating the social relations in Vietnamese villages and communes.